Reigning Moto2 World Champion Toni Elias will return to the big show for the 2011 season, as the Spanish rider has secured a contract with the LCR Honda satellite team. Elias has been on fire this season in Moto2, easily establishing himself as the dominate rider in the class. Looking to secure Moto2 as the feeder series for MotoGP, Dorna is rumored to have helped secure Elias’s return to premiere racing, after he lost his ride in the San Carlo Gresini Honda squad in 2009.
This news confirms the fact that Randy de Puniet will be leaving LCR Honda, as the Frenchman will look to finalize his plans with either Pramac Ducati or Gresini Honda, with the green Ducati’s being the heavily favored team in that rumor. De Puniet’s exit likely comes down to money for the LCR squad, as finances are tight throughout the MotoGP paddock, and most-open wallets comes from either Spain or Italy. In its announcement, LCR Honda also confirmed that it has renewed its contract with HRC to lease the Honda RC212V race bike.
“The chance to work with Toni Elias is a big incentive for us because this is a very important moment for presenting to our sponsors and partners a new project,” explained LCR Team Manager Lucio Cecchinello. “The nice thing is that Toni and I raced together in the 125cc class. I was at the end of my career and he was at the beginning. I remember he was a very hard rider and very resolute. As time goes by he has improved very much and I think he is a very talented rider with a lot of experience.”
Source: LCR Honda
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